UN News stories

08 December 2016 – The Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Myanmar, Vijay Nambiar, said today that the UN is “seriously concerned” by the developing situation in Northern Rakhine state and has called on the security forces to act in accordance with the “rule of law and accepted international norms,” and to exercise caution in avoiding disproportionate responses that could cause violence to civilians.

05 December 2016 – The world is facing a humanitarian crisis that will require a record $22.2 billion in funding for 2017 to support nearly 93 million of the most vulnerable and marginalized people, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said today as it launched a relief aid appeal.

30 November 2016 – Highlighting the challenges to human rights around the world, the United Nations human rights chief called on the international community to act collectively for the common good and to do “everything possible” to prevent the situation from deteriorating.

29 November 2016 – The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) today expressed alarm over reports of serious rights violations in Myanmar’s northern Rakhine state that cite allegations of extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests and sexual violence, and a renewed spike in hate speech – including on social media.

18 November 2016 – Deeply concerned about the safety and wellbeing of civilians in the northern part of Rakhine state in Myanmar, United Nations entities today urged the country's authorities to take immediate actions to address humanitarian and human rights situations.

09 November 2016 – Expressing concern for the safety of children in the northern part of Myanmar’s Rakhine state which is in the midst of “security operations,” the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called upon the Government to protect children there from all forms of violence and to support prompt and independent investigations into reports of grave violations against them.

03 November 2016 – Japan’s initiative to raise the awareness of the risks posed by tsunamis will this weekend mark a milestone when World Tsunami Awareness Day makes its debut on 5 November – an occasion that goes beyond paying tribute to the victims of tsunamis.

02 November 2016 – Warning that impunity for crimes against journalists is rampant, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called for immediate action to secure justice in cases here journalists have been attacked or killed and for concrete steps from all countries to ensure that media professionals are guaranteed space to operate free from harassment and intimidation.

28 October 2016 – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, called upon the international community today to not forget about ongoing human rights challenges in the country, including continued detention of political prisoners, the constitutional guarantee of 25 per cent of seats in Parliament to the military, and increasing unrest and discrimination against Muslim communities.